Anjum Khalique

Comparative efficacy of herbal and allopathy drugs against coccidiosis in poultry

For this study, 240 one-day-old broiler chicken were used to test the anti-coccidial efficacy of a herbal drug Coxigon® compared with a chemical synthetic Diclazuril® against Coccidiosis in broilers. These birds were divided into six groups (A, B, C, D, E, F) of forty birds each. There were six treatments, non-infected non-medicated (A), infected non-medicated (B), infected and medicated with Coxigon® at 3 g/1 kg of feed (C) infected and medicated with Diclazuril® at 0.20 g/1 kg of feed (D), non-infected but treated with Coxigon® at 3 g/50 kg of feed (E), and non-infected but treated with Diclazuril® (F) at 0.20 g/1 kg of feed. Groups B, C, and D were given a challenge dose of coccidial oocysts at the age of 22 days. Weight gain, feed consumption, oocysts count in the faeces, clinical findings and mortality were recorded. The mean values of birds feed intake during experimental period (0–6 weeks) were 3770.4, 3206.5, 3493.3, 3333.3, 3751.5 and 3764.1 g for the groups A, B, C, D, E and F, respectively. The results revealed that the birds of group E had better (P<0.05) weight gain (g) as compared to other groups. Moreover, Coxigon® at 3 g/1 kg of feed (C) had excellent performance in terms of oocysts count (31700/g feaces) and lower mortality as compared with Diclazuril® (D).

Impact of selenium supplementation on productive performance and egg selenium status in native Aseel chicken

Abstract A study to examine the impact of selenium forms on productive traits and egg selenium deposition in Aseel was conducted. A total of 96 selenium-treated 21-week-aged Aseel birds were used, 84 females (1726.25 ± 121.65 g) and 12 males (1973.17 ± 182.84 g) from Lakha, Mushki, Peshaweri and Mianwali varieties. Birds were distributed into four experimental groups (21 females and 3 males/variety), further subdivided into three treatment groups A, B and C with 8 birds each, 7 females and 1 male (4 varieties ×3 Se treatments ×8 birds/treatment). Group A and B were the experimental while, C was a control group. Ration for the birds of group A included 0.3 ppm Se-enriched yeast, group B with 0.3 ppm sodium selenite, while, group C received a basal ration containing no selenium. Experimental birds were maintained separately in battery cages from 22 to 42 weeks. The pullets received Se-enriched yeast (organic source of selenium) supplemented ration gained the sexual maturity earlier (168.61 ± 0.64 d) and represented increased (p ≤ .05) body weight (1973.56 ± 3.43 g); egg production (38.17 ± 1.27%); egg mass (112.52 ± 2.63 g); FCR/dozen eggs (3.26 ± 0.06); FCR/kg egg mass (6.77 ± 0.23) and the selenium contents in the whole egg (11.70 ± 0.01 μg), in egg yolk (8.31 ± 0.01 μg) and in egg albumen (3.33 ± 0.01 μg). It is concluded that Se-enriched yeast is more potent than sodium selenite and is a key supplement used to improve production performance and egg-selenium status of Aseel.

Evaluation of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) supplemented diets on the growth, digestibility and histology of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) fingerlings

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of water hyacinth as aquafeed for grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Fish were stocked in eight glass aquaria at 20 fish per aquaria. Three iso-proteinous diets (30% crude protein (CP)) were prepared with the addition of different parts of sun-dried water hyacinth, that is, whole plant meal diet (WPM), leaf meal diet (LM) and root meal diet (RM), along with control diet. Results revealed significant (P ≤ .05) differences in weight gain and length among treatments. Higher weight gain was observed in LM and lower in RM diets. CP contents of fish fed WPM were significantly higher (P ≤ .05), followed by LM than RM and control diets. Crude fat was significantly higher in fish fed RM followed by LM, while ash contents were significantly higher in control. Nutrient digestibility in the case of CP was significantly higher (P ≤ .05) for WPM, LM and control groups than RM, while fat digestibility was significantly higher (P ≤ .05) in RM diet followed by LM than WPM and control. Histological study showed no significant variations in liver and kidney. In conclusion, LM-based diets were found to be most suitable without any adverse effects on the histopathological disorders in experimental fish.

Influence of Moringa Oleifera Leaf Meal Used as Phytogenic Feed Additive on the Serum Metabolites and Egg Bioactive Compounds in Commercial Layers

I Department of Livestock and Poultry Production, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan. II Department of Animal Nutrition, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan. III Department of Poultry Production, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan. IV Quality Operations Laboratory, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan. V Punjab University College of Pharmacy, University of Punjab, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan.

Nutritive evaluation of fish acid silage in Labeo rohita fingerlings feed

Viscera of various fish species was collected during local harvest at the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ravi Campus, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore pond facility. Acid silage was prepared by systematic applications of formic acid. The proximate analysis of the product revealed 5.16 ± 0.65% moisture, 32.17 ± 0.12% crude protein, 9.56 ± 0.14% lipids and 6.50 ± 0.32% ash contents. Total microbial aerobic plate count was 1.69 × 104± 0.06 × 103 cfu g−1 while the coliforms were recorded as 0.97 × 104± 0.02 × 103 cfu g−1. The pure silage was free of aflatoxins B1, B2 and G1 and G2; however, microbial load and aflatoxin values vary in different feed ratios. The feeding trial showed significant change in all three feeds prepared from different ratios of silage; nevertheless, feed containing 75% acid silage showed better growth in Labeo rohita fingerling diet when compared with its counterparts. Our studies suggest that the fish silage can be a cheaper and effective alternative to fishmeal in fish feeds, if carefully handled and properly processed. This is because fish silage is prepared from fish waste body viscera, which is utilized neither in human nor in animal feeds in the raw form. On the other hand, fishmeal is a main and expensive ingredient used in livestock and fish feeds. Utilization of fishmeal is on the rise while its production is on decline, which is continuously escalating its price. Furthermore, the manufacturing of fish silage is simple and requires relatively lesser inputs as compared to fishmeal manufacturing.